BGAJ member Adrian Bell, founder of the Agro Mavens PR and communications consultancy, has been elected Secretary General of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) following August’s Congress in Switzerland.
The elections saw Steve Werblow, from the USA, elected as IFAJ’s new President, while Argentina’s Adalberto Rossi becomes Vice President. Magda du Toit, from South Africa, is the new Treasurer. They join Adrian on IFAJ’s Presidium, the organisation’s board.
BGAJ chairman from 2011-2013, Adrian was first elected to the Presidium as Treasurer in 2015, following a spell as the British IFAJ Executive representative. In addition to directing the Federation’s finances, Adrian has managed the sponsorships that support IFAJ initiatives like Alltech Young Leaders and Corteva Master Class, introduced programmes such as the Caterpillar Development Scholarships and the new Syngenta Global Network Partnership, and developed member-focused partnerships with organisations including the International Seed Federation and the US Sustainability Alliance.
Adrian also led IFAJ’s endeavour to define and establish the Global Foundation for Agricultural Journalism (of which more news soon), a UK-registered charity that focuses on agricultural journalism and communications as a tool for agricultural development and advancing the public understanding of food and agriculture. GFAJ will bolster IFAJ’s work by bringing in new donors and partners to fund an expansion in its activity programme.
“As Secretary General, I’ll take on a fresh set of responsibilities within the Presidium team,” Adrian explains, “including professional development and education, career development and guild building.
“IFAJ has grown considerably in the last ten years, with programmes like Master Class inspiring the formation of new agricultural journalist associations around the world.
“Although we have expanded from around 30 countries to more than 60, there’s much still to do to support those newer guilds, while continuing our ambition to establish further guilds that can encourage, strengthen and stimulate agricultural journalism across South America, Africa and Asia.
“Programmes such as Syngenta’s new partnership, which supports IFAJ in its outreach to both new and existing guilds, present an exciting new way to achieve this, and reflect a growing interest from industry and commercial partners to support the future of agricultural journalism.”
Other objectives include an online agricultural journalism and communications training and certification scheme, and engaging with IFAJ member guilds in support of their own domestic professional development programmes.
Adrian will also plan and lead the annual ‘Boot Camp’, the three-day workshop attached to Congress that brings together the Young Leaders and Master Class participants to emphasise leadership, reporting and networking skills.
BGAJ members have been particularly successful in winning places on the Young Leader programme in recent years.
Current chairman Ben Pike is a Young Leader alumnus, as are Alex Black, Abi Kay, Hannah Binns, Caroline Stocks, Aly Balsom, Clemmie Gleeson, Melanie Jenkins and Ruth Wills. Adrian says the roll call shows the programme’s value in supporting domestic talent, just one of the many ways in which guilds – including BGAJ – benefit from their IFAJ membership.
“I’m looking forward to strengthening and adding to these programmes. We’re determined to ensure that IFAJ grows, not only in its membership but also in its value to members.
“The British guild has always been closely involved with IFAJ since its very earliest days in the 1950s. It’s wonderful that we can maintain that input today.
“I’m very excited about the new role and the opportunities it presents to support IFAJ and its mission. I will enjoy working with Steve, Addy and Magda to increase IFAJ’s reach and appeal with these new programmes.”
2024-2026 IFAJ Presidium: (l-r) Steve Werblow, President, USA; Magda Du Toit, Treasurer, South Africa; Lena Johansson, immediate past President, Sweden; Adalberto Rossi, Vice President, Argentina; and Adrian Bell, Secretary General, UK
